Jhon Duran Shines as Benfica Overpowers Celtic 4-1 in Europa League
Jhon Duran Stars in Benfica's Big Win Over Celtic
Jhon Duran played a key role as Benfica delivered a strong 4-1 victory against Celtic in the UEFA Europa League at Estadio da Luz. The Colombian striker scored twice, helping his team keep a perfect start to the group stage.
Duran’s Goals Set the Tone
Duran began the scoring with a cool Panenka penalty early on. Shortly after, Alexander Bah added a second with a volley. Duran then found the net again from a tight angle before halftime, making it 3-0 for Benfica.
Celtic managed a reply through Camilo Duran, but Vangelis Pavlidis, coming off the bench, sealed the win late in the match, putting Benfica in third place in the group standings.
Player and Coach Reactions
“A great win for us, another two goals, I’m still working towards more,” said Jhon Duran, who earned Player of the Match honors. “These two goals boost my confidence and help me connect even better with Vangelis Pavlidis. Everyone knows his current form; he’s scoring loads and owns the place. Whenever I get the chance, I’ll give my all for the team.”
Manager Marco Silva praised the team's strong first half. “Our performance in the first half was so good, it made it look easier. We saw Celtic’s quality, and if we give them confidence, they can be tough. We got back to our best and scored the fourth. Still, we need to be more solid to control the game when leading, so there are lessons to take.”
Europa League Standings and Upcoming Matches
This win places Benfica near the top of their Europa League group with six points from two games. Their next challenge will be an away match against Omonia in Matchday 3. Celtic will try to earn their first European points when they host Celta Vigo at Parkhead.
- Next Matches:
- Celtic vs Celta Vigo: 18 Oct 2026, 17:00 (Premiership)
- Omonia vs Benfica: 22 Oct 2026, 22:00 (Europa League)
